One Championship: Bibiano Fernandes refuses title after Kevin Belingon fight ends in controversy
- Bantamweight champion gets disqualified for illegal blows in Tokyo
- But Brazilian challenger appears not to accept the win after wild trilogy fight
It was supposed to be the trilogy fight that would finally settle the debate of who was the better fighter between Bibiano Fernandes and Kevin Belingon.
But there were more questions and answers after “The Silencer” was disqualified and stripped of his bantamweight title because of illegal blows to the back of Fernandes’ head.
The two had been on the ground in the third round when Belingon hit the Brazilian with his elbow twice. After several minutes of deliberation, it was ruled Fernandes could not continue, and Belingon was shown the red card by the referee.
Fernandes appeared unwilling to accept the win in such circumstances, however, waving his fingers and saying “no”.
“We will see an automatic rematch,” One Championship founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong said. “Thank you very much, sir” was Belingon’s response.
“Bibiano is the champion on a technicality, but he doesn’t want to win it that way,” Chatri added. “I’m sure Belingon doesn’t want to lose that way either. They’re two warriors, two of the best martial artists in the world, they deserve another shot to see who is the best.”
The stoppage was a shame, given the wild action that had preceded it – Fernandes had rocked Belingon with a right hand in a wild first round but the Filipino somehow weathered the storm as his opponent pounced with a flurry of punches.
“First of all I would like to apologise for what happened there, I didn’t really mean it,” Belingon told a post-fight press conference.
“I was very disappointed when they gave me the red card. I think I was winning first and second rounds.
“Things happen, you know, I go back to the training and prepare for my next fight again.”
Belingon beat Fernandes by split decision last November to claim the bantamweight title and end Fernandes’ 14-fight win streak which stretched over eight years.
This was supposed to be the rubber match, with Fernandes submitting Belingon when they first clashed in January 2016.
